Energinet has awarded a contract worth EUR 13 million to Fugro to deploy floating LiDARs for wind measurement campaigns at four new offshore wind farm sites in Denmark.
The Danish government has designated these new sites, which could add as much as 7.2 GW of new capacity, to be North Sea I (Nordsø I), Kattegat II, Kriegers Flak II, and Hesselø.
Fugro will deploy two floating LiDAR buoys in the Kattegat Sea and three floating LiDARs in the North Sea I area, with one additional buoy to be kept in reserve for contingency. The Kriegers Flak II offshore wind area in the Baltic Sea will also have two floating LiDARs deployed, along with one buoy in reserve. These twelve-month contracts will contain an option for either another twelve-month period or month-to-month extensions for up to six months.
Floating LiDAR technology enables the offshore wind industry to accurately assess the wind speed and direction, which in turn enables engineers to design and install more efficient turbines. Fugro’s Seawatch Wind LiDAR buoy achieved Stage 3 rating under the Carbon Trust Offshore Wind Accelerator (OWA) Roadmap for the commercial acceptance of floating LiDAR technology, which guarantees the accuracy of the measurements taken.
These preliminary site investigations are a vital step in the development of offshore wind farms. They help the industry to identify suitable locations for wind turbines, understand the nature of the seabed and the seabed conditions, and assess the environmental impact of the development. The results of these investigations will help Energinet to plan, design and build the infrastructure required to connect the wind farms to the national grid.
Transition to renewable energy
According to the Danish Energy Agency (DEA), the new offshore wind farms will play a significant role in the country’s transition to renewable energy, with the goal of reaching a 100% renewable energy supply by 2050. The Hesselø offshore wind farm is expected to be fully operational by 2029, while the Kattegat II, Kriegers Flak II, and North Sea I sites are planned to be built by 2030.
